Summer Evenings
by Dudly
Summary: She had seized the moment, the magic from that summer evening bewitching her... or was it the magic of those two golden eyes? Another take on the very existence of Echizen Ryoga.


This will probably be a twoshot. Read and tell me what you think, 'kay? (Thanks to awinchan for reading over this and making up the title and helping with the summary)

Pairing: Nanji x OC

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**Summer Evenings**

By Dudly

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In the humid summer evening, Echizen Nanjiroh squeezed his girlfriend in his muscular arms tightly, making her squeal and giggle. "Let me go, Nanji! You're all sticky!"

The boy ignored her frantic pleas drown in bits of laughter, preferring to tease her as she struggled in his grasp. Obviously, he had the upper hand, but her incessant kicks and punches would leave bruises for sure. This did not stop him from hugging her with even more strength and it certainly didn't stop her from squirming more. The second after, Nanjiroh shifted stance and pinned her against the bed with no way to escape. Before they could realize fully that he was lying on her and that she had her legs and arms wrapped around him, a quiet thud drew their attention to the ground.

"The English textbook," she whispered huskily, her breath rather heavy. "We should study some more."

Her fingers let go of Nanjiroh's shirt and she tried to reach the fallen book with a barely audible sigh. Her attempts were futile: with her boyfriend's weight over her, she couldn't move an inch. When she looked at the young man to kindly ask him to remove himself from her, she met intense, lustful eyes. Her heartbeat stopped for a split second before drumming erratically against her chest.

"I don't need to study, Kimiko," he smiled, bringing back her hand toward him. The young woman blushed when he tenderly planted a kiss on her trembling fingers.

"You're leaving for America tomorrow," she reminded him with something akin to regret and sadness. Were there tears in her eyes? She tried to blink them away hastily before the tennis player could notice.

"**I love you**," Nanjiroh spoke in English with his strong accent and there was no use in hiding the blatant pain anymore. Kimiko hid her face in Nanjiroh's neck and cried silently, taking in the fact that it was their last time together. She had decided long ago that she wouldn't be at the airport to see his departure.

After what felt like hours but was in reality only minutes, the teenager gently pushed her away from him. His fingertips caressed her wet cheeks in one smooth, fleeting touch and slowly, he bent down to press his lips against her. There was no need for words. For weeks, they had behaved like a proper couple. They had held hands and stolen kisses, but never dared to venture further.

Tonight was their only night left and they were fortunately alone. Words were not needed, but as she timidly unbuttoned his shirt, she planted her eyes into his. "I keep thinking about how it feels, to become one," she confessed and her voice was vibrating with emotions. "It will be my first time."

Nanjiroh tried to suppress the own shivers of his voice, along with every sign that could betray his evident lack of control. In the end, only passion and desire were left. He ran his hand under her pink shirt before taking it off and kissing her velvet skin. Not a hint of doubt lingered in their head. They were both ready to seize the moment.

A smile formed on Nanjiroh's lips. "Let's make it special, Kimiko."

She nodded fervently, willing to agree to anything he proposed, and soon they drifted away.

--

Just like she had promised herself, Kimiko hadn't gone to the airport the day after. She knew she would break down and she knew it wasn't proper of her to do so. As the daughter of a stern businessman, she was well aware that wearing her heart on her sleeve would not do her good. She had always believed her father's philosophy of life until she had met the exuberant Echizen Nanjiroh, star of Seigaku's tennis team. She had fallen in love with him the moment he had grinned at her as if they were life-long friends. There was no use in fighting it, really, and the guy had given a new meaning to her dull life.

Now that he was gone and never to come back, she felt completely empty. Each day, his absence became more tangible and the lack of Nanjiroh in her life got her sick, literally. She watched the American News when there were important tennis tournaments, but often the TV schedule refused to match with hers. Any ways, seeing the man she loved through the impersonal screen was nothing like having him close by.

Once, she had seen him with many attractive women and, even though they had refused to try a long distance relationship, she had felt jealous and nauseous. Kimiko had snapped at her concerned father before weeping for the remainder of the day.

That should have been enough to convince her something was wrong… but she realized what was going on only when she found herself craving for ice cream and pickles at once- the pregnant woman's biggest cliché.

She was bearing Echizen Nanjiroh's child.

That night, she had refused to sleep in the bed in which they had consumed their love. Snuggled in her blankets, sitting in a corner, she stared at the small bed with blank eyes and wondered if there was truly love that night. When she fell asleep, she faintly remembered a familiar voice telling her _I love you_ in awkward English.

It was something resembling a revelation. Kimiko decided to keep the baby no matter what.

-

For the following months, she tried to get in touch with the now famous tennis player. To her dismay, no one wanted to help her out, evidently thinking she was one of those hardcore fangirls. When she told them that she was the mother of Nanjiroh's child, many would chuckle and mutter, "You wish."

After many attempts and many thousand of yens waster on overseas calls, Kimiko finally ended up with the phone number she needed. As she eagerly dialled, a million thoughts rushed to her mind. Would he be happy to hear from her? How would he react to the news? Did he still love her? Would he come back to her or ask her to come to him?

She wished the ringing would stop and that he'd pick up already.

Riiiing. Riiiiing. Riiing.

She was a pregnant woman with hormones going wild, for God's sake! She was _so_ close to throwing her mobile phone against the wall out of anger.

"**Hi, Nanjiroh speaking."**

Upon hearing the funny accent, Kimiko let out a sob and her knees gave out under her. Her whole body was shaking, making the phone slip out of her grasp. 'This is ridiculous,' she thought vaguely. To calm herself down, she inhaled deeply but still wondered what was going on with the internal turmoil.

"**Who is it?"**

Kimiko arduously gathered all the self-control she possessed before taking the phone again. "Nanjiroh? It's me, Kimiko."

There were no blissful exclamations or fond declarations of love. For the longest time, silence reigned before Nanjiroh coughed embarrassedly on the other side of the line. "That's unexpected," she heard him mumble.

Sadly, everything was not going according to plan. He didn't seem happy to talk to her at all.

"Am I calling at a wrong time?" The question was painful to ask and sounded slightly bitter. The sound of girly giggles and seducing voices calling Nanjiroh made her stiffen. She didn't want him to answer anymore.

"Yeah, kind of," he responded with a hesitant laugh. "Call me some other time?"

The woman growled silently. "You call me. My number didn't change."

Without waiting for a reply, she hung up and promised herself that if he didn't call back, she would never tell him that he was a father-to-be. As a matter of fact, he didn't call back.

-

The day she gave birth, she cursed him in loud wails for not being at her side to hold her hand. He should have allowed her to dig her nails in his palm while whispering sweet nothings to her. He should have been there, not competing for some idiotic prize.

"Calm down and breathe," advised the nurse while sponging up the sweat on Kimiko's forehead. The latter's father was nervously rubbing his daughter's arm and even her mother was present to support and encourage her. She seldom spent time with her offspring but Kimiko was grateful that her mom cancelled an important meeting when she heard her child went into labour. But when Kimiko stared at her mom's fearful but happy eyes, she could only see Nanjiroh's mischievous orbs.

It ached. "FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU ECHIZEN NANJIROH!"

She closed her eyes tightly to evade from the too-white, too-clinical room before hearing the doctor telling her he could see the head of the baby. Her eyes shot open and she took the deepest breath ever. She couldn't escape. She had to deliver a baby- Nanjiroh's baby. She would give birth even if it killed her in the process.

And suddenly, the pain disappeared and relieved sighs echoed throughout the room, signing the end of her job. Still panting, she gazed up to see the doctor wrapping the newborn in a white blanket.

"Congratulations, Aino-san. It's a marvellous little boy."

She beamed and opened her arms widely so she'd be able to hold her son against her heart. Her parents congratulated her warmly and she wearily thanked them, but her focus was directed at the small bundle sleeping in her protective embrace. She kissed the infant's head softly. "We have come a long way… welcome to the world, Echizen Ryoga."

--

_Please review. I'm trying my best to improve and critique will help me a great deal. Thank you._


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